1906 Locomobile Type E

Touring
Chassis number: 1250

This 1906 Locomobile Type E Five Passenger Touring was discovered in a Michigan junkyard during the Second World War. It was purchased and rescued from the scrap yard. The prior owner of this Locomobile had been a farmer who had fitted it with a flatbed for hauling produce to market. The purchaser contacted the farmer and was able to acquire the rear body, doors, and seats, which were stored in the barn. A restoration began in 1947 and lingered until completion in 1963. It was named Best of Show at AACA National Shows in Minneapolis and Lake Forest, Illinois.

Since the restoration, the car has been well maintained and treated to servicing to keep it in good mechanical order. It was recently fitted with a new black top. It is one of the few remaining Type E models in existence and possibly the first to cross the auction block. In 2007 the car was brought to the Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it had an estimated value of $125,000 - $175,000. It was offered without reserve.

The new owner would become the fourth owner, as the farmer was the second owner, and the individual who rescued the car from the junkyard was the third (Fourth if the junkyard owner is to be included).

Bidding was energetic and a high bid of $176,000, including the buyer's premium, was enough to secure new ownership.

by Dan Vaughan

The Locomobile Company, founded by Amzi L. Barber and John Brisben Walker, produced automobiles from 1899 through 1929 and was based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. A deal with the Stanley Steamer Company allowed the Locomobile Company to produce steam-powered vehicles of their own design. Their buggies sold well; however, the steam-powered design did have shortcomings which began to give the Locomobile Company a bad name. The steam designs were prone to accidents such as exploding or catching on fire. At times, they were unreliable. Many of the water tanks were too small and proved to be inadequate to meet many travelers' needs. Within a few years, the company began experimenting with combustion engines. By 1902 the company was offering both steam and combustion engines to its consumers. Within a year, they were no longer selling steam-powered cars.

The name 'Locomobile' had been pieced together from the words 'Locomotive' and 'Automobile'. The union of these two words led to the word 'Locomobile'.

During the early 1900s, the company offered a variety of body styles, including the Runabout, which had seating for two. The attractive price tag helped boost sales. The Touring Car version added additional seating and a tonneau cover which helped shield the occupants from the elements. The four-cylinder engine with around 16 horsepower helped carry the 2200-pound steel-framed vehicle to respectable speeds.

Within a short amount of time, the Locomobile Company became a very popular car in the United States which led to the company's slogan: 'Easily the Best Car in America.' By 1901, there were 1500 cars created, followed by 2500 the following year. By 1903 they were outpaced by Olds' Curved Dash Runabout. As the Stanley's and Mr. Walker parted company, the job of chief engineer was given to Mr. Andrew L. Riker.

Mr. Riker's first gasoline Locomobile was created in 1902. It had two cylinders and produced six horsepower. The following year, a four-cylinder T-head unit was created with 12/16 horsepower available. This engine propelled the 86-inch wheelbase vehicles, which featured seating for five and a body constructed from aluminum. The gasoline engines quickly became the more popular of the fuel sources, which led Locomobile to no longer produce steam-powered vehicles after 1904.

In 1905 Locomobile introduced the Type E which sat on a wheelbase that measured 96 inches and was powered by a 15/20 horsepower T-head four-cylinder engine that displaced 198.8 cubic inches. It sold for $2,800 in the tourer body style with the landaulet costing $3,300. Production of the Type E lasted until 1908.

by Dan Vaughan